Bookholder



L. C. RISK BOOKHOLDER June 14, 1966 Filed Nov. 3, 1964 INVENTOR. LARRY 6'. R/SK ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,255,989 BOOKHOLDER Larry C. Risk, 1025 Post St., San Francisco, Calif. Filed Nov. 3, 1964, Ser. No. 408,528 4 Claims. (Cl. 248460) This invention relates to an improved stand or holder for supporting a book or the like in the open, readable position on a desk or table.

My invention solves the problem of providing a bookholder or stand that is relatively small, light weight and which is collapsible into a conveniently transportable package that requires little space and can, therefore, be carried easily from place to place. Yet, because of its unique arrangement of parts, my bookholder is unusually strong and stable even when supporting unusually large and heavy books such as dictionaries, encyclopedias and similar such books of the type that are more conveniently used when maintained in an open, readable position.

Another object of my invention is to provide a bookstand that is particularly well adapted for ease and econembodying the principles of the invention with a book shown in phantom;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the bookstand according to the invention;

FIG. 3 is a view of the bookstand of FIGS. 1 and 2 in the collapsed position;

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the bookstand of FIGS. 1 to 3.

Referring to the drawing, FIG. 1 shows a bookholder 1t) embodying the principles of the invention as it appears when operative in the set up position for supporting a book. The latter is outlined in phantom and designated by the numeral 11. Generally, the holder is comprised of a first fiat rigid member 12 to which are hinged second and third rigid members 13 and 14. All three members 12 to 14 may be made from the same material, such as Wood, sheet metal or plastic. I have found that a relatively thin veneer or plywood is particularly adaptable for use in forming these members, since it not only is inexpensive and easy to form, but is attractive in appearance. The first member 12 is cut to predetermined shape or pattern and the members 13 and 14, when combined, have a similar shape. This enables a single pattern to be used in production in forming all three of the members 12 to 14. The configuration of the member 12 is generally triangular, being fairly narrow at its upper end and tapering downwardly to a fairly wide base. At the bottom of member 12 and member 14 are provided integral foot portions 15 and 16, respectively, which project forwardly. These foot portions each have an upper edge 17 that extends from an outer corner 18 along a line initially perpendicular to the forward leading edge 19 and then curving inwardly to merge therewith by a relatively large radius fillet. This enables the foot portions 15 and 16 to be easily formed by a shaper tool when producing my holder in large quantities. The upper edges 17 of the foot portions 15 and 16 thus provide retaining shoulders for holding an open book on the holder 10 and preventing the book's bottom edges from slipping off.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the members 12 and 14 are well spread apart at their base to provide adequate sta- 3,255,989 Patented June 14, 1966 ice bility and their bottom edges 20 are straight. The rear edges 21 of the members 12 and 14 extend upwardly from the bottom edges and tilt rearwardly, preferably making an obtuse angle with the bottom edges 20 that is slightly smaller in degrees than that made by the leading or front edges 19 with the bottom edges.

The members 13 and 14 are permanently attached to opposite sides of the member 12, but are pivotally mounted thereon so that they can be extended or retracted, depending on whether the holder 10 is being used, as shown in FIG. 1, or stored in the collapsed position, as shown in FIG. 3. The members 13 and 14 may be hingedly connected to the member 12 by suitable hinges 22 and 23 that may be secured to the member 12 by means of screws or brads. In lieu of the Well known metal hinges, I may use hinge members of a flexible plastic or tape-like material .which can be bonded permanently to the members 12 to 14 without the need for screws or the like. It may be noted in FIG. 4 that the members 13 and 14 are hinged to the member 12 at a point approximately one third the distance down from its upper end and when the members 13 and 14 are extended they are in alignment on opposite sides of the member 12. An important feature of the invention which is best seen in FIG. 1, lies in the fact that the hinge lines for the members 13 and 14 on the member 12 slope downwardly from the front edges 19 toward the rear edges 21., thereby being convergent with, rather than being parallel with the bottom edges 20. Thus, the bottom edges 2! of the members 12 and 14 are convergent in a horizontal plane from front to rear of the holder 10 when it is operative in the book supporting position. This converging arrangement serves to strengthen the holder 10 and enable it to support even very large and'heavy books without excessive stress on the hinges and without any tendency of the holder and a book thereon to tip over.

As seen in FIG. 1, the holder 10, when extended, has a generally cruciform shape with the members 12 to 13 extending upwardly and outwardly far enough to support the book in place. The leading edge 24 of the upper member 13 is coincident with the leading edge 19 of the mating hinged member 14 so that all leading edges lie in the same plane.

When not in use the holder is easily collapsed and lies essentially fiat so that it can be readily carried in a notebook or briefcase.

To those skilled in the art to which this invention relates, many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The disclosures and the description herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be in any sense limiting.

I claim: 1. A collapsible bookholding device comprising: a first rigid member having a generally triangular shape; a second rigid member and a third rigid. member, said latter two members when combined having substantially the same shape as said first major member; means for hingedly connecting said second rigid member and said third rigid member to opposite sides of said first member, the front leading edges of all three said members being in the same plane when said second and third members are extended outwardly; and means on the lower end of said first and second members forming a shoulder for retaining the lower edge of a book. 2. A collapsible bookholding device comprising: a first member having generally the shape of an obtuse triangle;

a second rigid member having generally the same shape as a lower portion of said first member;

means extending forwardly from the lower end portion of said first and second members for retaining the lower edge of a book;

first hinge means connecting said second member to one side of said first member so that it is movable from a stowed position adjacent the lower portion of said first member to an extended position projecting outwardly therefrom, the bottom edges of said first and second members being the same distance from said first hinge means when said second member is in the stowed position;

a third rigid member having generally the same shape as an upper portion of said first member;

second hinge means connecting said third member to the opposite side of said first member so that said third member is movable from a stowed position adjacent the upper portion of said first member to an extended position projecting outwardly from said first member;

said first and second hinge means being pivotal about parallel hinge axes that are convergent with the bottom edges of said first and second members from their front edges to their rear edges;

whereby when said second and third members are extended the sloped leading edges of said first, second and third members are in the same plane and said bottom edges are convergent from front to rear.

3. A collapsible bookholding device comprising:

a first rigid member having generally a triangular shape, said member being wider at its lower end and having a straight bottom edge;

a second rigid member having generally the same shape as a lower end portion of said first member;

an integral foot portion on each of said first and second members extending forward from the lower ends thereof, said foot portions having curved upper edges forming recesses for retaining the lower edges of a book;

means hingedly connecting said second member to one side of said first member so that it is movable from a stowed position adjacent the lower portion of said first member to an extended position projecting outwardly therefrom;

a third rigid member having generally the same shape as an upper portion of said first member;

means hingedly connecting said third member to the opposite side of said first member so that said third member is movable from a stowed position adjacent the upper portion of said first member to an extended position projecting outwardly from said first member and generally in line with said second member;

whereby said device has a cruciform configuration with the sloped leading edges of said first, second and third members being in the same plane when extended and thus capable of supporting a book in the open position.

4. A collapsible bookholding device comprising:

a flat, rigid member having generally the shape of an obtuse triangle;

a second fiat rigid member having generally the same shape as a lower portion of said first member;

means hingedly connecting said second member to one side of said first member so that it is movable from a stowed position adjacent the lower portion of said first member to an extended position projecting outwardly therefrom;

a third rigid member having generally the same shape as a lower portion of said first member;

means hingedly connecting said third member to the opposite side of said first member so that said third member is movable from a stowed position adjacent the upper portion of said first member to an extended position projecting outwardly from said first member;

whereby the sloped leading edges of said first, second and third members are in the same plane when extended and will support a book in the open position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,648,931 8/1953 Deveau 248460 FOREIGN PATENTS 467,953 6/1914 France. 382,335 10/1932 Great Britain.

CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

J. F. FOSS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A COLLAPSIBLE BLOCKHOLDING DEVICE COMPRISING: A FIRST RIGID MEMBER HAVING A GENERALLY TRIANGULAR SHAPE; A SECOND RIGID MEMBER AND A THIRD RIGID MEMBER, SAID LATTER TWO MEMBERS WHEN COMBINED HAVING SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME SHAPE AS SAID FIRST MAJOR MEMBER; MEANS FOR HINGEDLY CONNECTING SAID SECOND RIGID MEMBER AND SAID THIRD RIGID MEMBER TO OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID FIRST MEMBER, THE FRONT LEADING EDGES OF ALL THREE SAID MEMBERS BEING IN THE SAME PLANE WHEN SAID SECOND AND THRID MEMBERS ARE EXTENDED OUTWARDLY; AND MEANS ON THE LOWER END OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND MEMBERS FORMING A SHOULDER FOR RETAINING THE LOWER EDGE OF A BOOK. 